


All For One and One For All

by freakyfangirl



Category: Hetalia - Cardverse Fandom, Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Cardverse, Cardverse Hetalia, Gen, but I'm really not, i want to be sorry, literally so much death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-18
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-07-15 21:09:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7238602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freakyfangirl/pseuds/freakyfangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Four Kingdoms never got along. The Queen of Spades and the King of Diamonds couldn't be in the same room together for more than ten minutes, the King of Clubs terrified everyone, and everyone thought the Jack of Hearts was missing a few screws. But with a looming threat on the horizon, will they be able to put aside their differences? Or will their kingdoms be destroyed and their legacy forgotten?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

♠️

Young Alfred Jones, heir to the Kingdom of Spades, ran along the dirt road, giggling happily as he outran the servant who was supposed to be watching him. The blond haired boy looked over his shoulder and, upon seeing the fuming red face of the servant, turned back to see where he was going and ran even faster.

Unfortunately, little Alfred never had good eyesight, as he soon (quite literally) ran into another young boy. The two boys fell to the ground, Alfred still giggling and the other one scowling. The young heir stood up and offered a helping hand to the boy he had just knocked down.

The boy had blond hair, rather similar to his own, that looked as though it had never seen a comb in its life. His bright green eyes shone like emeralds and geez did he have big eyebrows!

Alfred gave a grin to the boy, showing off the tooth he had lost only a week ago and said, "Hiya! My name's Alfred! What's yours?" The boy blushed slightly at the heir's interest in him and muttered back, "Arthur."

Alfred tapped his chin thoughtfully and soon his face split into a smile, "One day, when I'm bigger, I'm gonna marry you Arthur and you're gonna be the Queen of Spades!"

Arthur's mouth fell open, which soon turned into a scowl, "The Queen!? Why can't I be the Jack?" Alfred shrugged and thought back to his other friend, "I already promised that spot to Yao. You're gonna have to be my queen!"

The boy's cerulean eyes lit up, "I'll buy you all the fanciest suits and we'll have a big," he paused, sounding out the next word carefully, "Cor-on-a-tion and everything!"

The servant caught up to Alfred and crossed his arms with a huff, "Young master, we must be returning to the castle. Your parents are waiting for you." Alfred grabbed the servant's outstretched hand and, turning back to Arthur said, "See ya around Artie! I promise you'll marry me someday!"

And you know what? Alfred kept his promise.

♣️

In the cold, unforgiving Kingdom of the Spades, young master Ivan dragged his feet in the snow, watching in fascination as he sank down to the middle of his calves. His mother and father were back in the palace, arguing about God only knows what. They were always like, and Ivan always felt ignored.

The ash haired boy soon came to a clearing in the woods. He looked up when he heard screams of joy and a cry of indigence. Ivan quickly hid behind a tree and observed what was happening in the clearing.

Two young boys seemed to be having a snowball fight. One was having the time of his life and pelting his friend with snow while the other had hidden behind a wall of snow and whimpered every time a chunk hit his protective barrier.

Soon, the second of the two boys became tired of being pelted with snow and cried, "Elizabeta! Let's go home already!"

Ivan gasped to himself, so the first boy was actually a girl! Summoning his courage, he stepped out from behind the tree and called out, "Привет!" The girl screamed lightly at the sudden interjection and hid behind the boy, who seemed ready to make a run for it.

Ivan walked forward slowly and repeated, "Привет. My name is Ivan. What are yours?" The girl peeked out from behind the boy and said, "I'm Elizabeta! This wuss here is Roderich!" Roderich muttered under his breath, "I'm not the one hiding behind you..."

The boy's purple eyes shone in amusement, "My parents are going to make me pick a Queen soon for when I'm older. Do you want to be my queen, Elizabeta?" The brown-haired girl gasped and her cheeks flooded with color as she muttered, "I'm not going anywhere without Roddy." Ivan smiled at the sentiment and proclaimed cheerfully, "Then I'll make him my Jack!"

Both their eyes widened slightly as they looked at each other. Elizabeta turned back to Ivan, a blush still covering her cheeks, and nodded happily.

Ivan turned back to walk through the woods and called back, "I'll see you in a few years! Soon you'll be my Queen and my Jack!"

And you know what? Ivan kept his promise.

♥️

Ludwig stood behind the thrones of his two parents, towering over the chairs despite the fact that he was only fourteen. His parent's Jack stood to the side. The pageboy, a boy named Feliciano who just happened to be Ludwig's friend, stumbled out to the middle of the throne room directly in front of the thrones.

Feliciano straightened his cap and said, "Presenting the noble family of Honda with their son Kiku." As soon as he had appeared, Feliciano disappeared off to the side. The doors to the throne opened and in stepped a family three, a boy Ludwig's age bringing up the rear.

The father of the family bowed to the royal family, "As requested Your Highness, my eldest son. Kiku Honda." Kiku stepped forward, his pitch black hair hiding his face. He bowed to the family. When he stood upright again, his eyes locked with Ludwig and he gave a slight nod of acknowledgement.

The King of Hearts stood up from his throne and walked around Kiku, observing him and the way he held himself. Stepping back from the boy, the King nodded and said, "He will make a fine Queen for Ludwig when the time comes."

Ludwig expression never changed, but he was scowling internally. He wanted to marry Feliciano, not this random boy that he had never met before. But Ludwig kept his back straight an his head high, he understood that his parents were only doing what was right for the kingdom.

The young heir looked to the side and saw Feliciano who looked on the verge of tears. Feeling someone's eyes on him, Feliciano looked at Ludwig and smiled mouthing out, "It's fine." Ludiwg then made up his mind that Feliciano would be his Jack.

Ludwig stepped down from the throne and shook Kiku's hand in his own, "I look forward to our meeting again. We shall make Hearts better than ever. Together."

And you know what? Ludwig kept his promise.

♦️

It was no secret that the heir to the Kingdom of Diamonds was looking for a queen. But Lili never expected for a notice to be posted to the town board. Quick as she could, she ran back to her brother and their shack of a house.

"Big brother! Big brother!" she called. Her brother, Vash, ran out of the house with a frantic look on his face, "Lili! What is it? Did someone hurt you?" She shook her head frantically with a large smile on her face.

"Not at all! But the heir is looking for a Queen! He commands for all eligible girls to go to the center of town for him to meet!" Lili exclaimed. Vash sighed and ran a hand through his short blond hair, "I don't know Lili, the odds of you being chosen are astronomical. Besides, I don't like the idea of my little sister being sold off."

Lili's eyes widened and begged for her brother to see her side, "But what if I am chosen? This could be our chance!" Vash sighed again, he knew how much Lili wanted to help him support the two of them. So with a final resigned sigh, he nodded his head.

Lili gave a big smile and, grabbing his hand, raced off towards the center of town.

She got in line with the rest of the girls, waiting for the heir to show up. Soon a carriage decorated with a diamond design pulled up in the center of town. Out stepped the heir, his chin length blond hair shining in the sun.

The heir, Francis, walked along the line, shaking his head at every girl. Soon enough, he came to Lili and stopped. "Hello," he said with a soft smile, "What's your name?" Lili blushed bright red, "M-My name is Lili." Francis took the young girl in, short blond hair and dirty rags for clothes. Most obviously from a very poor family. The girl was sweet, albeit a bit shy, Francis wouldn't mind spending the rest of his life with her.

Francis smiled softly and said, "Well Lili, would you like to come to the palace with me and be my Queen when the time comes?" Lili gasped and slowly nodded. Francis smiled wider and, taking her hand, led her back to he carriage.

Lili tugged on the heir's sleeve and whispered, "What about big brother?" Francis looked up into the crowd and upon spotting a boy who looked rather similar to the young girl whose hand he was holding, gestured for him to come along.

The boy stepped froward and Francis smirked, "You shall be my Jack when the time arrives. You look like you can handle yourself. You and your sister will be part of the royal court and you will live in comfort for the rest of your days."

And you know what? Francis kept his promise.

♠️♣️♥️♦️

Promises were kept and Kingdoms were given a new King, Queen, and Jack. And this is where our story begin.


	2. Coronation

♠️♣️♥️♦️

Of course, every King's reign had to start somewhere.

♠️

Nearly ten years later, Arthur had almost forgotten of the strange boy who had promised to take him away and make him his Queen.

But Alfred hadn't forgotten the beautiful boy with emerald green eyes and the amazingly thick eyebrows. And so, Alfred came to Arthur's house one day, asking for his hand in marriage.

Arthur of course couldn't say no to the future King of Spades, so he accepted. Besides, Alfred was a handsome young lad, tall and strong, who wouldn't want to marry him?

And so, a few days later they were married. Alfred kept his promise and got Arthur rich blue suits, all embroidered with the symbol of the Spades.

Wearing a pearl white tux, Arthur walked down the aisle, keeping an eye on his husband-to-be. The blue-eyed man looked star struck and wore a goofy grin on his face.

Arthur reached the altar and went through with the ceremony. To be brutally honest, he spaced out during most of it. He was snapped back to reality when he had to give his consent. Alfred slipped the golden ring onto Arthur's finger with a faint, "I do." Arthur in turn did the same.

The priest gave a faint smile and said, "You may kiss the groom." Without a second's hesitation, Alfred leaned forward and pressed his lips against Arthur's. The green-eyed man responded quickly and moved his own lips against Alfred's. They broke apart soon after and pressed their foreheads together.

Now, it was a tradition in the Kingdom of the Spades for the King and Queen to crown each other as a symbol of their eternal love. Alfred was given a silver crown with sapphires and blue topaz woven into the band. Arthur knelt on one knee as Alfred placed the crown on his head and said, "With all my heart and all my love, I crown thee the Queen of Spades."

Arthur stood up again, soon growing familiar to the weight of the crown on his head. In turn, he was given a larger golden crown with sapphires and diamonds woven throughout the design. Alfred knelt on one knee as Arthur placed the crown on his head, "With all my heart and all my love, I crown thee the King of Spades." Together, the crowned Alfred's friend Yao the Jack of Spades.

And so the reign of King Alfred and Queen Arthur of Spades began.

♣️

As Ivan got bigger and stronger, everyone around him became frightened. His childlike humor was terrifying, and his violet eyes were so unnatural that people were turned off just by looking him in the eye.

His mother had died a few years previous and his father's Jack had been gone a long time, so Ivan's father decided it was finally time for Ivan to take over the kingdom and rule the Clubs.

So, one day, Ivan found Elizabeta and Roderich's shared home. The childhood friends had been living together as long as they could remember, so it was no surprise when Roderich answered the door instead of Elizabeta.

The dark-haired male was rather startled when the freaking heir to Clubs came knocking at his door, so Roderich stood there staring at him for a good few minutes before inviting Ivan inside.

Ivan explained that the time had come for him to choose his Queen and Jack, and that he hadn't forgotten their conversation from many years before. Elizabeta agreed, saying that it would be an honor to become the Queen of Clubs. Roderich wasn't far behind to agree to being Ivan's Jack.

And so, Elizabeta and Riderich were taken back to the castle.

Ivan and Elizabeta were to be married a few days later. Roderich walked her down the aisle in a brand new green suit. Elizabeta wore a beautiful pure white gown, but she felt so out of place when she was used to wearing rags her whole life.

Ivan looked uncomfortable in his midnight black suit, but he put on a smile nonetheless. The ceremony went on quickly and the priest said, "You may kiss the bride."

Ivan gave Elizabeta a small kiss on the lips and leaned back, turning to the priest for the coronation. Elizabeta was disappointed; she knew Ivan wasn't marrying her because he loved her, but she had hoped there was at least a small amount of affection. Evidently not.

The priest took a crown from a nearby cushion. A small, silver crown inlaid with emeralds. Elizabeta knelt down and felt the priest place the crown on her head and say, "With the power of God, I pronounce thee Queen of Clubs."

Elizabeta stood up, trying to balance the unfamiliar weight on her head as Ivan knelt down. The priest took an exquisite white gold crown inlaid with emeralds and diamonds and placed it on Ivan's head and said, "With the power of God, I pronounce thee King of Clubs."

And so the reign of King Ivan and Queen Elizabeta of Clubs began.

♥️

Ten years had passed since Ludwig was told he was to be marrying Kiku Honda and he was in no way prepared for the day that was fast approaching. His wedding day.

Ludwig didn't want to marry Kiku, he wanted to marry the simple stable boy Feliciano. But his parents insisted that he marry the small dark-haired boy "for the good of the kingdom."

And so this is how Ludwig found himself at the end of the aisle in a pitch black suit and staring at his husband-to-be. Kiku wore a white tux with a red tie, representing the Queen he was soon to become.

Ludwig spotted Feliciano in one of the aisles, tears streaming down his face. He could only imagine the pain Feli was going through, watching the man he loved marry someone else.

When Kiku reached the altar, Ludwig gave a small smile and turned to the priest and told him to begin the ceremony. Ludwig blanked out during the ceremony and, like a robot, responded "I do" when the time came.

When the priest said, "You may kiss the groom," Ludwig leaned forward and planted a small kiss on his husband's lips. The blond man's parents then stepped forward, each given a crown.

Ludwig's mother was given a silver crown, inlaid with rubies and placed it on Kiku's head saying, "With the power invested in me, I pronounce thee Queen of Hearts."

Ludwig's father was given a golden crown inlaid with rubies and diamonds and placed it on his son's head saying, "With the power invested in me, I pronounce thee King of Hearts."

And so the reign of King Ludwig and Queen Kiku of Hearts began.

♦️

A few days after Francis brought Lili and Vash to the castle, they were to be married. Vash protested, saying that his sister was too young and that she had to wait a few years before she was old enough. Francis agreed, only on the condition that the two of them live in the palace and Lili be trained for her future duties as Queen.

And so, Lili was taught how to welcome guests and make deals with other kingdoms and how to calm down Francis when he had a panic attack. Four years passed very quickly, and soon Vash agreed that Lili was old enough to finally get married.

She was walked down the aisle by her big brother. Lili wore a pale yellow dress with intricate orange designs; not a typical wedding dress. Francis stood at the altar, looking proud and cocky in his tux.

Lili paid rapt attention to the ceremony; she never imagined that the first wedding she would attend would be her own. Francis tried his hardest to pay attention, but he always did have a short attention span.

When the priest said, "You may kiss the bride," Francis pressed a quick but passionate kiss to Lili's lips. Vash stepped forward, a silver crown inlaid with topaz in his hands, and placed it on his little sister's head saying, "With the love of family, I pronounce thee Queen of Diamonds."

Francis' younger brother Matthew stepped forward with a golden crown inlaid with diamonds and topaz. The blond boy placed the crown on his brother's head and said, "With the love of family, I pronounce thee King of Diamonds."

And so the reign of King Francis and Queen Lili of Diamonds began.


	3. Tick Tock

♠️♣️♥️♦️

As master Alfred was so young, he was the last of the Four Kings to be married and crowned. On the night of the ceremonies, the King before him took him aside and explained an amazing power that may come in handy in years to come.

♠️

From the very dawn of the Spades, a responsibility was passed down from King to King. A sort of power, you might call it. Unless a time of great distress arises and the ability needed to be addressed, only three people knew of this power: the King, the Queen, and the Jack of Spades.

After his coronation, Alfred was taken aside by his mother, the King before him, and told him of this power. Alfred listened politely, but refused to believe his mother until she showed him some proof. This was a reasonable request, as this power was quite an odd one.

What was this power? Why, the power to see through time.

The Kingdom of the Spades was the oldest of the Four Kingdoms and, in the eyes of the Creators, the most trustworthy. The King of Spades was the one to be trusted with this power and it had been passed down for millenia. Alfred's mother took him to a room in the castle that he wasn't even aware existed. She pushed open the heavy wooden doors and Alfred's eyes were greeted with wonder.

Three of the four walls were covered in clocks. Clocks of all shapes and sizes and styles, all set to different times, but all ticking in unison. The wall opposite the door was made entirely of glass with a giant pendulum swinging back and forth.

Alfred looked around the room in awe. His mother walked toward the pendulum where a small pedestal stood. It was made of Quartz crystal, and on it laid a pocket watch. It was shaped like a spade, with a golden outline and a long golden chain attached.

His mother took the watch in one hand and took her son's hand in the other. Slowly, she began swinging the watch back and forth. Soon the watch began to pick up speed and Alfred was transported through time.

When Alfred opened his eyes, he was standing in the poorer region of his kingdom. Two young blond boys were talking to each other in front of a large tree, completely oblivious to the world around them. Alfred did a double take as he realized, "That's me and Arthur! That's when we first met!"

Alfred and his mother watched the interaction between the two boys with a mix of fondness and amusement. When the young heir said that he was going to make the bushy-eyebrowed boy his Queen, Alfred's mother turned to him with a smirk on her face while he looked away with heated cheeks. They continued to watch the scene until an angry looking servant came to take the young heir back to the palace.

The former King clutched the pocket watch in her hand and whispered, "Take me back." In a split second, she and her son were back in the room of clocks, the giant pendulum swinging in front of them.

Alfred turned to his mother with wide eyes and could only manage a (very manly) squeak and the words, "Why?" The former King sighed and looked out of the glass that allowed her to observe the entire kingdom.

"You are the ruler of the oldest of the Four Kingdoms. From the very beginning of Spades, we have been trusted with this power to see through time. With this power, it is with hope that we will be able to see any trouble looming in the future and prepare for it. This is not just a power granted to us, but also a responsibility. Should we see danger, we must warn the other kingdoms and prepare for the threat."

The woman turned to her son and pressed the pocket watch into his hand, "The watch will now recognize you as the King of Spades. You are the only one who can use it. Should it fall into anyone else's hands, it will reject them and they will not be able to wield its power. This includes this your husband."

Alfred looked at the watch in awe before tucking it into his jacket. "Thank you, Mom." His mother smiled sweetly before breaking into a goofy grin that was so reminiscent of his own, "It was no problem! Now come on, we're missing the festivities! Besides, you've got a new husband to get to!"

She nudged Alfred's ribs and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively before walking out of the room. His eyes widened before he blushed and let out an indignant, "Mom!"

**?¿?¿?¿**

"C'mon! Let's attack now! They'll never see it coming!"

"Patience is a virtue, dear. We must bide our time. We are still too weak."

"I can't wait until I get to grind their faces into the ground and beat them to a pulp."

"That's the spirit. Just when the time comes, I want to be the one to destroy the Jack of Hearts. The little wimp is mine!"

"Of course. You can be the one to set our whole plan in motion~"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for such a long wait, I just didn't know where to go with this chapter. It's a bit of a filler until we start to get to the interesting stuff. I know exactly where I want to go from here and I'm super excited and I hope you are too!


	4. Sweet Dreams

**?¿?¿?¿**

"Now's our chance! C'mon! Let me finally grind these sons of bitches into the ground!"

"You'll get your chance, I promise. However, I've already promised the first kill to someone else~"

"That's right. That wimpy little Jack is _dead!"_

♥️

It had been several years since King Ludwig and Queen Kiku had been crowned the rulers of Hearts. These years had been filled with prosperity and peace. Many occupants of the kingdom had been referring to their reign as the Years of the Golden Hearts.

Young Feliciano Vargas, the Jack of Hearts, skipping happily through the halls. Staff of the palace would stop and smile at him as he skipped past. Feliciano was the most carefree Jack the Kingdom of Hearts had seen in a very long time, yet he still knew how to get his duties done.

With the years that passed since the marriage and coronation of the King and Queen came years of recovery from heartbreak, but Feliciano was recovering, slowly but surely. It was rather difficult watching the man he loved get married to another and then watch them rule together, but Feliciano knew as well as anyone that it was as good as treason in Hearts to disobey your parents orders. Ludwig's parents wished for him to marry Kiku, and so Ludwig did.

As Feliciano was distracted by his thoughts, he did not notice as he wandered into a part of the palace unknown to him. When he noticed the cobwebs coating the walls and the broken windows, he realized that he had stumbled upon an abandoned section of the palace.

Now, Feliciano was not one for bravery. He felt himself growing nervous and started to panic that he was perhaps lost. Soon, he remembered the song that he and Ludwig used to sing together when they were younger that would always calm him down.

As he explored the abandoned portion, Feliciano began to sing to himself, "Draw a circle, that's the earth. Draw a circle, that's the earth. Draw a circle that's the earth, I am Italia!" The Jack smiled as he remembered all the happy memories connected with the song and began to calm down.

He soon stopped in front of an old supply closet, realizing that he was in fact very lost. Feliciano sighed; Ludwig would not be happy with him once he found him. Feli was so distracted by the thoughts of how angry Ludwig would be, he almost failed to notice the creaking noise of a door opening.

Almost.

Feliciano whirled around to see the closet door opening. Failing to see an possibility of danger in this situation, he leaned closer to the door. When the door was completely open, the closet remained pitch black. Inside the closet, a pair of glowing red eyes opened. From the light cast from the eyes, Feliciano could see the vague outline of a face.

The Jack's curl began to frizz up as he began to feel unbelievably terrified. The person in the closet's lips began to curl up into a wicked smile. "Hello, little Jack. Would you like to help me start a war?"

Feliciano gasped and turned to run away. Before he could even move an inch, he felt a hand over his mouth and he was dragged into the closet. The door snapped shut behind him and he heard his captor clicking his tongue at him. "Tut tut, little Jack," the voice whispered, "That wasn't very polite."

Feli felt the cool metal of a knife caress his cheek. He could hear the grin his captor wore as he spoke and slit his throat.

"You shall set everything in motion. Sweet dreams, little Jack."

♠️

Halfway across the world, in the Kingdom of the Spades, King Alfred was performing his normal duties. He sat on his throne, his Queen by his side, and listened as people throughout the Kingdom came to him with their problems. He listened patiently and tried to solve each problem as quickly as he could. Alfred still had to check the future for issues before he could finally call it a day.

Thankfully, not many people had decided to visit him that day. As soon as the last man was ushered out the door, Alfred zipped off his throne and to the room that he had dubbed 'The Room of Time.'

Kind of dramatic, but it also sounded completely and utterly _badass._

Once he reached the room, he let out a small smile as he looked around. Soon after he and Arthur had been crowned, his mother had passed away. The Room of Time held one of his last memories of her and always gave him a sense of calm.

Making sure that the door was securely locked behind him, he took the Watch of Spades out of his suit pocket and began swinging it back and forth. The watch began to pick up speed and he was transported to the future in a flash.

When he opened his eyes, he was not in fact standing in the Castle of Spades as he wished to be. Instead, he was standing in a pile of rubble. Alfred whipped around, searching for the familiar Spire of Clubs in the distance or perhaps the Tower of Diamonds, but nothing. All he could see was destruction. He heard the clashing of metal in the distance before he finally heard a someone scream.

It wasn't just anyone's scream, however, it was Arthur's. Alfred let out a shriek, "Arthur!" He clutched the watch in his hand tightly and muttered, "Take me back, take me back!" The images in front of him slowly began to fade out, but not before he heard bone-chilling laughter and another scream.

With a stumble, he landed back in the present. Breathing heavily, he unlocked the door and rushed out of the room. With a bang, he swung opened the doors and called out, "Yao!" A young Chinese man with his hair tucked into a ponytail rushed into the hallway. This was Wang Yao, his Jack of Spades and his childhood friend.

"Yes your majesty?" he said. Alfred scowled, an expression that seemed to mar his usual cheerful face. "Call the Meeting of the Suits. I have something that I'd like to discuss."


	5. Welcome to Spades

♥️

That day was one filled with tears for the Kingdom of Hearts. Their beloved, child-like Jack was found dead in a supply closet. His throat was slit. On the door of the closet, written in what was assumed to be the Jack's blood, was a message: "His death will be the first of many."

Ludwig Beilschmidt broke down when the body was brought to him. His childhood friend, cut down in an instant. The King locked himself in his room, inconsolable. His Queen simple let him be, understanding that he simply wished to be left alone.

A full week passed before the King opened the door to his room. Ludwig's eyes were bloodshot, and his shoulders were hunched, but other than that, no one could even tell that he had been absent. He resumed his duties as King as though nothing had happened, his Queen, Kiku, by his side.

None of the other Kingdoms were made aware of the death of the Jack of Hearts. The lack of a member of the royal family made a Kingdom weak, and Ludwig had no desire to be conquered. So Feliciano's death was kept quiet. The Kingdom of Hearts mourned quietly, and no one outside the kingdom knew of his death.

Well, until a Spade came to visit.

The Jack of Spades soon came to visit, claiming to have a message from King Alfred of Spades. The Jack, Wang Yao, was brought before Ludwig and Kiku and was told to present his message.

Wang Yao was a young Chinese man with his long dark hair tied into a ponytail. When brought before the King and Queen, he bowed.

"Ni hao!" he said, "My name is Wang Yao, Jack of Spades. I bring an urgent message from King Alfred. But, if you may, please summon your Jack first. All members of the royal family must be present.

Kiku stepped forward, his expression neutral, "I am afraid that is not possible." A flicker of annoyance flashed across Yao's face, "Why not? It should only take a moment."

Ludwig stepped forward, a scowl marring his face, "Our Jack was discovered dead a week ago. He was murdered." Yao's eyes widened, but he did not waver, "My sincerest apologies. If I might present the message then?" Ludwig waved the Jack on and collapsed back in his throne.

"My king has sensed that something bad is stirring." he said, "Something in the Outerlands." Ludwig straightened and Kiku looked intrigued, "The Outerlands? But nothing has lived in the Outerlands for generations." Yao nodded, "That is what is believed. But King Alfred thinks otherwise. He has called the Meeting of the Suits a week from now at the Castle of the Spades. The King hoped to find you there."

Ludwig scowled; he had no desire to attend a ridiculous meeting on the instincts of a foolhardy king. However, he couldn't ignore a summons from the most powerful of the Four Kingdoms. Especially so soon after the death of his Jack. But he simply sighed, "I will make sure that we will be in attendance. But please do not mention the death of our Jack to anyone." Yao nodded in understanding before bowing again.

"I must take my leave. Until we meet again King Ludwig, Queen Kiku." Yao held his gaze on Kiku for a moment longer, as though trying to place some distant memory. But he shook his head, bowed once more, and left the Palace of Hearts.

♣️

A week had passed since the Kingdom of Clubs received the frightful notice about the Meeting of the Suits. So now King Ivan, Queen Elizabeta, and Jack Roderich of Clubs found themselves on a carriage ride to the Kingdom of Spades.

Elizabeth had never left Clubs before, so looking out the window and not seeing snow was strange for her. Her husband, Ivan, sat calmly next to her, his eyes shut. Across from her was her best friend Roderich, looking slightly green as the carriage swayed from side to side.

As she stepped out of the carriage, she found it hard to believe that merely five years ago she was living in a small little house in the countryside of Clubs. Now, she was Queen of the very kingdom she swore that she would flee from.

The Kingdom of Spades was beautiful. Green, lush and a perfect temperature. Elizabeth sighed happily, taking in the sunshine. Following her, Ivan climbed out of the carriage and wrinkled his nose in distaste. "I came here once as a child," he murmured, "I hated every second of it." Roderich tumbled out after him and ran to a nearby bush before emptying the contents of his stomach. A faint, "I'm fine," could be heard.

Elizabeta couldn't see how Ivan could have hated this beautiful kingdom. The castle itself was a masterpiece, with polished marble walls and humongous blue banners with the symbol of Spades on it. The hedges lining the entry were perfectly trimmed. Off to the side stood four rose bushes: one with green roses trimmed in the shape of a club, one with yellow roses trimmed in the shape of a diamond, one with red roses in trimmed in the shape of a heart, and a final bush with blue roses trimmed in the shape of a spade. The bushes were obviously an offering for the visiting kingdoms, and Elizabeta thought they were exquisite.

Roderich seemed quite in awe as well. His travel sickness had worn off as he gazed in the castle in wonder. Ivan simply walked forward, not sparing the scenery a glance. Elizabeta and Roderich raced forward to catch up with him.

The three royals walked through the grand front doors. The interior of the castle was even more spectacular than the outside. A magnificent diamond and sapphire chandelier hung above their head and gleamed in the light. Underneath the chandelier stood three men.

The tallest of the three men had dirty blond hot with an odd gravity-defying strand in front. He had beautiful blue eyes framed by a pair of glasses perched on his nose. He wore a beautifully tailored blue suit with a large spade on the right breast. In his hand, he clutched a golden pocket watch as though his life depended on it. In his other hand was the hand of another man.

This man had blond hair slightly lighter than the firsts. His gorgeous emerald eyes could be beat only by the amazingly thick eyebrows above them. He too wore a tailored suit but had a top hat on his head. Elizabeta could only assume that these two men were the Ling and Queen of Spades.

The shortest of the three men had long dark hair tied into a ponytail. He had dark eyes. He was not wearing a suit, but some sort of traditional clothing. His hands were hidden by his sleeves and his face looked grim.

The King stepped forward and gave a deep and sweeping bow. "Welcome to the Kingdom of Spades," he said, "I am King Alfred. But you may simply call me Alfred or Al." Alfred gestured to the blond man whose hand he had been holding, "This is my husband and Queen, Arthur." He gestured once more to the dark-haired man, "This is my Jack, Yao." Alfred looked at Roderich and Elizabeta. As his eyes settled on Ivan, his neutral expressions changed to a goofy grin, "Ivan. It's good to see you."

Ivan's icy expression melted slightly, "Fredka.  
It is good to see you again." Arthur shot a heated glare at Ivan. The King of Clubs cleared his throat awkwardly and gestured to Elizabeta, "This is Elizabeta, my wife and Queen. My Jack, Roderich." Alfred smiled at them, "Welcome to Spades. You guys are the last of the Four Kingdoms to arrive. Yao will show you to your rooms. The meeting will take place in the war room in half an hour."


	6. Meeting of the Suits

♠️

As Yao showed the Clubs to their rooms and Arthur walked off to take care of something for the meeting, Alfred let out the breath he hadn't known he had been holding. He slowly wandered to the war room where the meeting would take place in approximately twenty-eight minutes (perks of the Watch of Spades, perfect sense of time).

Alfred slumped in a chair around the table in the war room and rubbed his eyes. He heard footsteps on the floor but didn't bother to look up; he knew who it was. Alfred smirked, "You were always one to be late, never early, Ivan."

The sound of a chair scraping out was heard and then a moment of silence. "And you were never one to be so serious, Fredka." The blond man looked up and blue eyes met violet. Alfred scowled at the childlike smile on Ivan's face, "Serious matters call for serious temperament."

Ivan frowned but then thought of something and his lips twitched upward. Alfred scowled again, "Is something funny?" Ivan couldn't keep the smile off his face now, "Do you--do you remember when we set fire to your mom's cape?" Alfred eyes widened before he too began to smile, "Yeah. Remember when we raided the kitchen and ate all the food for the banquet?"

Ivan too smiled and soon the two of them began to laugh. Alfred calmed himself down and smiled again, "Thank you, Ivan."

At that moment, the King and Queen of Hearts entered the room and the two of them looked opposite ways. The Kingdoms slowly began to trickle into the meeting room. As the last person entered the room, the door swung shut behind them.

Everyone's heads swung to look at the door. Alfred took that as his cue to stand up. He cleared his throat and smirked when everyone's heads swerved back to look at him. "Well," he said, "Let's begin."

♦️

As the King of Spades stood up, Lili couldn't help but be curious. "Well," he said, "Let's begin. What do all of you know about the Outerlands?"

A burly blond man scoffed, Lili could only assume he was the King of Hearts, "The Outerlands? Everyone knows what they are!" The Queen of Diamonds felt heat coming to her cheeks as she slowly raised her hand, "Actually? I don't know what they are."

Everyone turned to look at her as the King of Spades smiled softly, "What's your name?" Her blush steadily grew as she answered, "Lili. Queen of Diamonds." The King smiled at her, "Welcome to Spades, Lili. I'm Alfred. Do you know anything about the Outerlands?"

The blonde haired girl shook her head, slightly embarrassed. Alfred looked out to the other royals and said, "Does anyone want to explain?"

The Queen of Hearts quietly stood up, "Centuries ago, the Creators divided our known world into four different Kingdoms. We know them today as Spades, Clubs, Hearts, and Diamonds. Three people were appointed to rule over each Kingdom: a King, a Queen, and a Jack. There were several people in each Kingdom who were angry that they had not been chosen to rule over the people. They began to meet in secret, plotting a revolution. They were found out before they could do any serious damage, and banished to a place we now call the Outerlands."

The dark haired male looked back to Alfred for confirmation, "Or so, that's how the legend goes." The King of Hearts grumbled, "Exactly! It's just a legend! The Outerlands may exist, but that doesn't mean that something has to exist in them!"

A brunette women piped up, "But every legend has some hint of truth to it." Alfred grinned broadly, "Correct, Elizabeta."

The King's face turned sombre as the matter turned more serious, "I believe something to be stirring in the Outerlands. Something beyond anything we've ever seen." Lili's husband, Francis, spoke up, "What do you mean 'beyond anything we've ever seen'?"

Alfred gave a sad smile, "Ah. That's where this comes in." He reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out a pocket watch. In the shape of a spade, it had a golden outline and had a golden chain attached to it. Lili's brother, Vash, scoffed, "What's a pocket watch got to do with anything?"

The King swung the watch back forth, "As you all know, Spades is the oldest of the Four Kingdoms. Because of this, we were trusted with a power and a responsibility beyond anything you've ever seen before. Spades was trusted with this watch and the ability to see through time."

The meeting went into uproar, several of the Kings and Jacks stood up and began yelling at Alfred. The Royal Family of Spades simply sat calmly, as though they were expecting this to happen. Lili and the Queen of Clubs, Elizabeta, made eye contact across the table. The brunette put her finger to her lips in a motion to keep quiet. Lili nodded, curious as to what she would do.

Elizabeta slowly stood up as to not attract the attention of the shouting males. From out of nowhere, she pulled out a frying pan and whacked it against the table.

The sound echoed across the room as everyone stared at the Queen in shock. Elizabeta smiled innocently and said, "Thank you. Now, please kindly sit down and shut up so we can hear an explanation."

Alfred cleared his throat awkwardly, "Thank you, Elizabeta. Now, as I was saying, the watch must simply be swung back and forth until it gains enough momentum to let me see the future. I wish I could show you all, but I can't transport this many people."

The King of Hearts stood up abruptly and yelled, "Why the hell are we supposed to believe this sheiße! We have traveled a long way to come to this damn meeting and we are being played like a bunch of fools!"

The Queen of Hearts stood up slowly and reached his hand out to touch the King's arm, "Ludwig. Perhaps you should sit do--"

Ludwig cut him off, "Dammit Kiku! I will not calm down! My Jack is dead and I have reason to believe that this mad King of Spades is behind it!"

Alfred narrowed his eyes, "Look, I'm sorry about your Jack, but you have no right to accuse me."

The King of Hearts slammed his hands against the table, "I damn well have a right to accuse you! A week after the death of my Jack, yours comes waltzing in saying that you have called the Meeting of the Suits. And now you say that something is stirring in the Outerlands and that you have the ability to see through time! I'm pretty damn sure that you might have murdered Feliciano."

Alfred's eyes widened at the King's outburst before his eyes narrowed and he scowled, "You all will regret not listening to me."

He stormed out of the meeting room, the gold pocket watch still clutched tightly in his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello yes i am back  
> prepare for more death this work


	7. Poison

♦

It had been three days since the dreaded Meeting of the Suits. Three days since the King of Hearts exploded in anger and revealed the death of his Jack. Three days since the King of Spades stormed out of the room with an ominous warning. Three days since Diamonds went on lockdown for fear of what would happen next. Three days of waiting.

And frankly, Francis was getting rather sick of it.

Francis was never a patient man; patience was a virtue he seriously needed to work on. He had spent three days waiting for something to happen. But nothing did. The scouts he had sent to the edges of the kingdom had returned with nothing to report on. No news had been heard from any of the other kingdoms.

But Lili was still anxious. She insisted that Diamonds build up their army and prepare for an unknown threat. Francis had refused.

"But what's the harm in it?" she argued, "If we build up our army, we strengthen our kingdom and we employ more people! If there is a threat, we'll be prepared. But if the King of Spades is just insane then we'll be stronger because of it!" Francis couldn't think of a good argument, but he still refused. He was King around here and he wouldn't be ordered around by his Queen.

Lili stomped off to her room.

-

The Queen of Diamonds huffed and flopped onto her bed. When she had accepted Francis' invitation to become his wife and Queen, she certainly hadn't expected this.

Lili understood that becoming the Queen would involve responsibilities and hardships. She understood that Francis didn't marry her because he loved her. But she never imagined that he would treat her like a child! She was eighteen for goodness sake! Vash warned her that Francis would treat her so. But she never listened. Maybe her brother was right.

The entire kingdom believed that they were hopelessly in love, and Lili wasn't going to tell them otherwise. Francis was sixteen when they met, and she thirteen, so everyone assumed it was love at first sight. Oh how wrong they were.

Lili sighed in frustration. She slowly breathed in and out, trying to calm herself down. Francis probably had his reasons for not wanting to build up the army, he always had a reason. But she couldn't help her annoyance at his sheer stubbornness.

She heard a low knocking at the door and then the sound of someone running away. Lili cocked her head to the side, curiosity taking over. She slowly stood up and made her way over to her bedroom door. She lightly pulled on the door and it creaked open. Lili looked around; there was no one in the hallway, an unusual occurrence for this time of day. She looked down, and on a small plate there was a cupcake and a note.

Lili bent down to pick up the note. It was written in beautiful cursive and said: _Je suis désolée, ma chérie. Je t'aime._ It wasn't uncommon for Francis to bake her goodies, and both of them were fluent in an old language called French, so the cupcake was most likely from him. She picked up the plate cautiously, looked around once more, and shit the door to her room.

She raised the cupcake to her face and observed it. Pink frosting with a candy purple bow on top, two of her favorite colors. Still a teensy but suspicious, she sniffed both the cake and the frosting. They did not smell strongly of anything, but held a small hint of vanilla.

Lili hesitantly raised the cupcake to her lips and took a bite. It tasted absolutely divine. The frosting had just the right texture and consistency. The cake was soft and delicious. She swallowed the bite she had taken and opened her mouth to take another when she started to feel dizzy.

The Queen tried to steady herself, but her efforts were in vain. She collapsed on the floor. It became harder for her to breathe and she felt her heart begin to slow down. Her chest burned for oxygen, but she couldn't catch her breath.

Lili heard the door to her bedroom creak open. She tried to call for help, but couldn't get the words past her lips. Her vision began to go dark around the edges. Lili saw a face lean over her own, but could only make out a pair of hypnotic green and pink eyes and a manic grin.

She heard a voice say, "I'm sorry to see you go, poppet. I really did like you, but your death was necessary. Sleep tight." Her vision went black and her body went limp.

♠  
 **Three Years Ago**

_All was well in the Kingdom of the Spades. The harvest had proved plentiful, merchants were doing well, and the plague from years previous had died out. The flowers were in full bloom and everything was beautiful._

_Francis, heir to the Kingdom of the Diamonds, was taking a small walk through Spades in order to avoid his nagging mother. He became distracted by the beautiful blue flowers (only yellow flowers grew in Diamonds) and did not pay attention to where he was going. Because of this, he ran into a young peasant._

_It was love at first sight. Francis couldn't help but admire the boy's emerald eyes and the way the light caught his blond hair. Upon spotting Francis' expensive looking clothing, the peasant boy to his feet and bowed, "I am sorry, my lord. I did not watch where I was going."_

_Francis took one look at those beautiful emerald eyes, thought for a moment and said, "Run away with me." The Spade's eyebrows shot to his hairline and his eyes widened, "Excuse me?" The heir to Diamonds clasped the peasant's hands, "I don't want to marry my fiancée, and you obviously don't want to stick around this dead end dump. So run away with me."_

_The Spade blushed an impressive shade of red and muttered, "You don't even know my name." Francis grinned stupidly, "What's your name then?" The blond man straightened up and said, "Arthur. My name is Arthur. And I have no desire to get away from this 'dead end dump,' as you call it! The heir of Spades as asked for my hand in marriage, and I had no plans of turning him down."_

_Francis' stupid grin soon morphed into something twisted that seemed very out of place on his face. He grasped Arthur's hands tighter. Arthur moved to pull away, but his grip only tightened. The green eyed man scowled and said, "You're hurting me."_

_Arthur tried to pull away again, but Francis refused to let go. He began to panic and looked around for something that could help him escape. He saw nothing and as a last ditch resort, stomped on Francis' foot. The heir to Diamonds loosed his grip in shock and Arthur scrambled away. "Get out of here!" he hissed,_ "And leave me alone!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if you guys don't like the way i'm making out france to be. i just kinda picture cardverse version to be a spoiled brat who can't take no for an answer. plus this version of him fits much better for what i have in store for him


	8. Rain

♠  
Arthur loved the garden. Before Alfred had taken him to the castle, there had been a small field of flowers near his home where he loved to sit and think. Prior to Arthur coming to the castle, there had been no garden. But when Alfred heard of Arthur's love of flowers, he commanded that a garden be built and had it built and designed to his specifications. Arthur loved him for that.

As Arthur strolled through the garden, he remembered the last time he had been in the flower fields near his home. He shuddered at the memory. It had been three years since Arthur had seen the damned King of Diamonds until a few days ago at the Meeting of the Suits. Arthur hated the arrogant prick who didn't know when to stop.

He heard the door from the castle to the garden slam open. Arthur turned around to greet who he could only assume was his husband in an extraordinarily bad mood. He couldn't have been more wrong.

Stalking through the gardens, was the very man that Arthur had nightmares about for three years. The King of Diamonds.

He looked like a complete wreck. His hair was greasy and unkempt and his clothes were ruffled and wrinkled. But the worst part were his eyes. There were dark circles underneath them, most likely from lack of sleep. And there was something in those eyes. Something that was filled with anger and hatred and directed at Arthur.

Arthur tried to make a run for it, perhaps dash into the maze that had been grown and try to lose him in the tall hedges. But unfortunately, Francis had longer legs than him and quickly caught up.

The King gripped Arthur's arms tightly and shook him saying, "I know it was you! I know what you did!" The Queen tried to wrench his arms out of his attacker's vice grip, but began to panic when he couldn't get his appendages free.

Francis grinned darkly at him, "Oh. Poor little Arthur. No big strong King of Spades to save him now!" He snarled, "Well I couldn't save my wife. Now no one's going to save you." Quick as a flash, Francis moved his hands from Arthur's arms to his neck.

In a moment of panic, Arthur tried prying the King's fingers off of his neck, but Francis was too strong. The cruel expression on his face made it difficult to look at him, but he couldn't turn away. The Queen saw his vision begin to go blurry and white around the edges and he knew he had a very short amount of time to live.

Francis' thumbs were crushing his windpipe and Arthur knew he was done for. He gave one last weak smile and tried to choke something out, last words perhaps. His eyes rolled back up into his head and he did not move.

The King of Diamonds' cruel expression melted off as he looked at Arthur's body on the ground. He looked at his hands and whispered, "What have I done...?"

-

Alfred sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had been hard at work, trying to make sure the entire kingdom was ready for whatever he had seen while using the watch. Alfred sighed again. He had a meeting to get to, but a little break wouldn't hurt anyone.

He glanced longingly at the door that lead to the gardens. He knew that Arthur was there now, and he could use a bit of support from his husband. Alfred grinned happily and marched out the door to the gardens.

The sun had vanished behind incoming clouds and the wind had picked up considerably. Alfred frowned at the sky; a stroll through the gardens would have to be postponed. He called out, "Arthur?"

No response.

Alfred's frown deepened. He tried again, "Arthur?" Still no response. Alfred began to panic; Arthur had an acute pair of ears, but he still couldn't hear him. He began to run through the gardens to search for Arthur, wind whipping through his hair and clothes.

He didn't have to go very far. Lying on the ground, pale and unseeing, was Arthur. Alfred choked back a sob and knelt down beside the body of his husband. His hands were still warm. There were two distinct bruises on Arthur's neck; it looked as though someone had strangled him.

Alfred supposed that he should be angry. He should be furious that someone had come into his home and killed his husband. But all Alfred felt was numb. The sky above them opened up and rain began to fall. He could barely feel it. With salt water tears mixing with fresh water rain, Alfred laid down next to Arthur, completely blind to the world around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> see what i meant about francis being a dick?  
> so yeah i just killed off the third major character. thoughts?


	9. Friends Long Lost and Newly Found

♠️

Alfred refused to speak to anyone for a week. Arthur's body was prepared for his funeral, but Alfred refused to take part in the planning of it. He spent most of his time in his and Arthur's bedroom, staring out the window to the gardens where Arthur died. Most of the planning was done by Yao, stepping into his role as Jack and running the kingdom in the absence of the King. Alfred finally came out of his room on the day of the funeral.

To outsiders, it was as though nothing had happened. The King wore his suit and crown with the watch held in his right hand. But to the keen eye, the change was obvious. His suit seemed a bit too large on him, the crown too heavy, the watch clutched too tight.

At the funeral, Alfred still didn't speak. Arthur's body was placed in a small floating casket and was to be pushed out to sea. Alfred stepped into the water and lead the casket out a few feet. He refused to have anyone help him. He leant down to kiss Arthur's cold lips and murmured, "Goodbye, my love." He pushed the casket out to sea.

-

It did not take long for the kingdom to fall into disrepair. After the Queen's murder, the people became frightened that one of the other kingdoms would soon declare war on them. With people's paranoia came illness. Many people began to work beyond their capacity, causing them to get sick from exhaustion. The viruses they were contracting doom mutated and became a new plague.

The people living in the poorer regions of Spades were contracting the plague very easily and were dying at an alarming rate. It seemed to be even deadlier than the virus from the reign before the present one. It was called the Queen's Plague, as it came so soon after his death. The people called out to the royal family, but King Alfred wouldn't answer.

He was still distraught over his husband's death and could barely support himself. It would take almost a month for him to get back on his feet and get back to running the kingdom. But by then, half of it could be dead.

So Yao stepped forward and tried to pull the kingdom back together. He urged the people to remain calm as help was on its way. He visited orphanages to comfort the children, he visited to hospitals to comfort the elderly, and he visited the poorer regions to comfort the sick. Anything to remind people that the royal family was still there and would help them.

And that was where it all went wrong.

Yao was warned not to maintain contact with any of the plague carriers for too long. But his heart broke for the people who were sick. It reminded him of years before as a child in Hearts, when his parents had died in the plague. And so he comforted the sick people, and they were grateful to him.

But oh, did it cost him. It wasn't very long until Yao became sick as well. His increased exposure caused him to contract the plague. Unless he somehow had an immunity, he would be dead in a maximum of three days. Three days of sickness and suffering. He requested that a message be brought to the castle.

When the messenger was before him, Yao told him the message: "Tell Alfred I'm sorry I couldn't save Arthur. And tell him I'll see him on the other side, crazy bastard."

♥️  
 _Fifteen Years Ago_

_Hearts was overrun with sickness. A new plague had come about, and with it many people in the kingdom were dying. Young Wang Yao, a poor citizen of Hearts, sat at the foot of his parents' hospital beds. He had contracted the illness the previous week, but had miraculously gotten better. His parents were not so lucky._

_A few beds over, an obviously wealthy family was weeping over the bed of a young girl._ So that's the one consistency with illness, _Yao thought bitterly,_ It doesn't care if you're rid him or poor. _The young boy at the foot of the girl's bed looked to Yao and said, "My name is Kiku. Are those your parents?"_

_Yao started slightly, "Yes. Is that your sister?" Kiku nodded. He looked to his mom and tugged on her sleeve. She turned to her son and then to Yao. "Mummy, his parents are sick," Kiku said, "Can we take him home?" The woman looked uncomfortable, "I-I'm sure he has other family that would be more than happy to take him in."_

_Yao looked up at the woman, "I'm sorry to intrude ma'am, but I have no other family. Both of my parents are dead," he glanced at the hospital beds, "Or soon will be. And I have no one else." The woman frowned at them and then turned to her husband. The two had a rapid conversation in a language Yao did not understand. The man soon turned to him and said, "What is your name, boy?" He gulped, "My name is Wang Yao, sir."_

_The woman shot her husband a harsh glare before smiling kindly at Yao, "Well then, Yao, would you like to come live with us?"_

_-_

_Kiku and Yao became fast friends. Kiku taught him the ins and outs of being the child of a Lord and Lady. Yao comforted the younger boy when his father had too much to drink and they could hear the screaming voices through the manor._

_It was only five months before Yao decided he would run away. He had originally been unbelievably grateful that they had taken him in, but Lord Honda was beginning to grow annoyed by him. He had been fine with Yao originally, but he soon began to see the boy as a waste of family resources. Lady Honda welcomed him with open arms, but her kindness could not outweigh her husband's anger and drunkenness._

_One night, Yao tied many of the linens in his room (previously the Honda's daughter's) together and chucked his makeshift rope out the window. He was halfway down the rope when Kiku stuck his small head out of the window. Sometimes the young boy would come to Yao's room if he had a nightmare. Tonight was no different._

_Kiku's mouth turned down in a frown, "Where are you going?" Yao looked up at the younger boy with a grin, "Running away!" Kiku cocked his head to the side, "Why?" Their 'father's' drunken yell was heard from inside the manor and Yao scowled at the wall, "That's why." He grinned up at Kiku, "Come with me." The younger boy looked hesitantly behind him before turning back to Yao, "I-I can't."_

_Yao hesitated again before he continued to climb down the rope. He didn't look back when he reached the ground and disappeared into the night._

_-_

_Yao didn't know how long he had been running. Hours? Days? He wasn't sure. Perhaps he had accidentally wandered into the Outerlands. Maybe he was hallucinating the massive castle in front of him, but it was his best shot._

_He stumbled towards the castle, still unsure whether or not it was an illusion. When he reached the path to the grand entrance, he collapsed. The last thing he heard was frightened screams and someone yelling to fetch a doctor._

_The boy woke up a few hours later to a kindly blonde woman dabbing at his head with a damp cloth. She gasped and yelled out, "He's conscious!" A blind man soon appeared at the bedside and gave Yao a kind smile. "What's your name, sport?" he said. He opened his mouth and coughed out, "Wang Yao. Citizen of Hearts."_

_The woman frowned. "Hearts? Well you're a long way from Hearts, my dear. You're in Spades." The man, presumably her husband, gave Yao a curious look, "Did you run away?" Yao froze up instantly and muttered, "Y-Yes. The plague killed my parents and the people who took me in weren't very nice." The man and woman exchanged a look before they grinned at him._

_"Well," the woman said, "You're more than welcome to stay with us. We have a son about your age; I imagine you two would get along famously."_

♠️♣️♥️♦️

Alfred and Yao very quickly became friends. Within a few months of knowing each other, Alfred asked Yao to be his Jack when the time came. The boy had agreed. Yao was there to hear Alfred ramble about a beautiful blond boy with the greenest eyes and how that boy would be his Queen. Yao was Alfred's best man at the royal wedding, and his comfort when his father and later mother died. They were the best friends that Spades had seen in years.

Yao died the next morning. Only one Spade remained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> congrats for making it nine chapters in  
> so yeah i just killed off another character so i hope to god you saw the warning  
> so let's just imagine that when the entire royal family dies then the kingdom falls apart  
> what'd you think?


End file.
